Snagged a S&W M64

[O.S.O.K.]

I have a couple of old mosins on consignment at the local fun shop - and I stopped in to check on the status of their sale - couple guys interested - OK.

Then, I look in the pistol case - and there's an older Smith revolver... I look closer and it looks like a Model 10 but only in stainless... cool. I ask to see it and its in vg shape and the price is $325.... well, I put $20 down and its waiting for me - when the mosins sell, I'll bail it out.

Here's what it looks like (found one on gunbroker just like it):

http://pics.gunbroker.com/GB/137673000/137673699/pix554737937.jpg

I figure it'll be a good cast boolit shooter - I have a keith swc 170 gr mold that will make the food for it. :)

I figure if I load them to around 850 fps it should shoot to the sights.

[EMC45]

A lot of those K frame guns were regulated for 158gr. loads. I have a Model 10 HB and that thing will flat out SHOOT!!!

[O.S.O.K.]

Yeah, that's what I kinda figured - I want to stay round the same ballistics as the 158 grain loads.

But I definately want to shoot that 170 gr swc out of it!

[dubber123]

Thats the stainless version of my old tapered bbl. M10, my first GOOD gun. I still have it. I hope the sights are well regulated for you, (mine are). If it shoots like mine, you will be VERY pleased. If you fool with loads, you may get the 170 to shoot POA for you. I shot a VERY hot 148 WC load for years out of mine that shot right to the sights. Glad you got it.

[Dframe]

The K-frame was perhaps the best and most useful gun ever made by S&W. Millions of them are still in use.

[O.S.O.K.]

I've been told that S&W only turned these 64's out for two years. And they are kind of a collectible waiting to happen because of that.

I bought it as a shooter first and foremost, but I'm good with collectible too! :)

[AlaskaMike]

I've always loved the M&P. A couple of years ago I saw a blued 5 screw model with a 5" tapered barrel in my favorite gun shop. The finish was flawless and the checkering on the grips was nice and sharp with no gouges, so it's now mine. :mrgreen:

Good luck with your model 64!
Mike

[O.S.O.K.]

Thanks.

In looking at the load books, it looks like the stand-out for 38 special with heavier bullets is Alliant Power Pistol. Looks like I can load the 170's to the target 850 with ease - just slightly higher pressure than standard, but well under +P.

Strangely, none of my manuals (all but one are older) had data for 170 grain cast boolits. There was limited data for 173 grain boolits in my Lee and old Hodgedon manuals but the Speer and Hornady manuals topped out at 158 for the 38 Special.

I saw data that Brian Pearce did in Handloader - compiled for the 44 special and Power Pistol was excellent in that caliber as well. Ditto for 10mm from what I've seen.

So I decided to order some and have it shipped - 4 pounds along with some W760 and other stuff from Midway. Even with the $22 hazmat fee, the per pound cost for the powders is reasonable = less than I can get it for at retail. And they had it in stock!

[theperfessor]

OSOK -

Nice gun.

In the Lyman 3rd ed. of the Cast Bullet Handbook (copyright 1980) there are a number of .38 Special loads with their 358429 @ nominal 168 grs. Here's four of them:

Powder/Start (grs)/Start Vel (ft/s)/Max (grs)/Max Vel (ft/s)
Bullseye/2.6/597/4.2/850
Unique/3.8/673/5.0/860
Blue Dot/5.5/647/7.3/869
231/3.0/599/4.6/855

I usually use Bullseye, Unique, and 231 in my M10 with this bullet. Haven't tried Blue Dot.

Note age of manual and take into account possible changes in powder properties.

[O.S.O.K.]

Thank you Sir!

I am not fond of Blue Dot - it hasn't worked very well for me thus far in pistol calibers. Poor accuracy.

5 grains of Unique with this boolit sounds like the old Elmer Keith load? Might be - he had a favorite IIRC.

[machinisttx]

Nice looking piece OSOK. I haven't made it over to the AK board in a while, did your business ever take off?

Joe

[Buckshot]

............I have it's cousin:

http://www.fototime.com/C291714B14F2E4D/standard.jpg

It's a very nice pistol, and I too think the K frame Smith is 'Just Right'. A a local gunshop last year they had an old M10 with 6" barrel. It looked like brand new but they wanted close to $700 for it. Right next to it was a M10-8 that also looked new for $375. I asked why the price difference and was told because the 6" barrel was rare. I bought that M67 in the picture for $350 OTD.

I dragged 9.3x62AL up there to see those 2 Smiths, but his eyes immediatle went to two Colts in the back right corner of the case. Heck, I hadn't even SEEN those! A Police Positive and a Police Positive Special. The sticker on the Police Positive (38 S&W) was $275 and except for a bit of holster bluing wear it too looked like new. He bought it :-) WHen we got it back to my house we checked it out. Man that thing was tight for a 38 Special, let alone being chambered 38 S&W.

................Buckshot

[Dframe]

OSOK -

Nice gun.

In the Lyman 3rd ed. of the Cast Bullet Handbook (copyright 1980) there are a number of .38 Special loads with their 358429 @ nominal 168 grs. Here's four of them:

Powder/Start (grs)/Start Vel (ft/s)/Max (grs)/Max Vel (ft/s)
Bullseye/2.6/597/4.2/850
Unique/3.8/673/5.0/860
Blue Dot/5.5/647/7.3/869
231/3.0/599/4.6/855

I usually use Bullseye, Unique, and 231 in my M10 with this bullet. Haven't tried Blue Dot.

Note age of manual and take into account possible changes in powder properties.
A great plinking and light load is that same 168 gr bullet over 8 grains of 2400. I've used it for years and love it,

[O.S.O.K.]

Nice looking piece OSOK. I haven't made it over to the AK board in a while, did your business ever take off?

Joe


Hey Joe - no, the business did OK but not nearly the sales I needed and then the lack of new AK kits coming in kinda slowed things down - they were the primary recipients of my no-gunsmith scope mount... thanks for asking! I do still have a few left if you're interested - bargain price! ;)

And thanks to all for the additional feedback - nice M67 there Buckshot!

Oh, and I found Elmer's load - 13.5 Grains of 2400 - a very hot load intended only for large frame 38's of his time - like the ones done up on the 44 frame.

Not what I'm looking for for this 38!

I'm pretty much set on 5.2 grains or so of Power Pistol if it performs like I want. :)

[machinisttx]

Hey Joe - no, the business did OK but not nearly the sales I needed and then the lack of new AK kits coming in kinda slowed things down - they were the primary recipients of my no-gunsmith scope mount... thanks for asking! I do still have a few left if you're interested - bargain price! ;)

And thanks to all for the additional feedback - nice M67 there Buckshot!

Oh, and I found Elmer's load - 13.5 Grains of 2400 - a very hot load intended only for large frame 38's of his time - like the ones done up on the 44 frame.

Not what I'm looking for for this 38!

I'm pretty much set on 5.2 grains or so of Power Pistol if it performs like I want. :)

I still haven't gotten around to building the rest of my kits...changed jobs a couple times, and have a 4 month old now. Wish your business would have had time to get going.

The two fliers are my fault, this one seems to like power pistol.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/imakechips/smith%20and%20wesson/100_0897.jpg

[O.S.O.K.]

Hey nice old model 10!

That's 5 grains with 158 grain boolits... which should be standard pressure.

I'm thinking I'm going to have to goose the 173 grain boolit a little bit to get it to print low enough - but I guess I'll find out. If it does shoot a tad high at 25 yards, that'll be fine too - that'll put it closer to "on" at 50... and usually the difference closer in is negligible.

[Ridgerunner]

The m64 was the last revolver issued by my department. They were good guns, duty round was the LSWCHP +P, aka FBI load and Chicago load. The only problems we had was the cylinder stops made of stainless steel were kind of soft and wouldn't lock up properly on some of the guns. A case hardened carbon steel stop replacement solved the problem.

[GP100man]

everybody has got to have 1 at least

& don`t tell anybody i own a smiff , i`ll have to change my handle!!!LOL